Coupling for railway and like vehicles



July 7, 1925.

J. MITCHELL ET AL COUPLING FOR RAILWAY AND LIKE VEHICLES 1 v t z m ...w u w H 2 1 .51. y m UZ .Mn lflvf l/llql /l/l 70 0 ,Wi xl T\70 H D W F L A c ,M N J W/.M L 2 L X A E Ilmnlln Hun i... 70

July 7, 1925.

J. MITCHELL ET AL coUPLING Foa RAILWAY AND LIKE VEHICLEs Filed Ju1y`51,

1922 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 ICT' f: tain new and usefullmprovements Relating JOHN MITCHELL AND JOHN 1,545,345 PATENT OFFICE.

CECIL GEORGE COSSEY, OF LONDON, RING-LAND.`

i A COUPLING' FOR RAILWAY AND. LVIKE VEHICLES;

Application mea July e1, was. semi- No. 578,730.

To all lwhom #may concern:

.Be it knownthat we, JOHN VMITCHELL and JOHN Gnou. GEORGE CossnY, both subjects of the Kingot Grreat4 Britain, residing in London, England, have ointly invented certo Couplings torR-ailway and like Vehicles ot which the following is a specification.

The invention relates to the known type v ofcentral couplings for railway and like vehicles iny which a separate member rovided between the coupler head and the drawbar formswiththese parts a universal joint fallowing `deflect-ions in two planes mutually at right angles.

According to the invention a ferrule or the like surrounding one end of the separate member transmits t-he bufiing stresses to the buiing spring and relieves the drawbar, which slides in the ferrule or its equivalent, of these stresses. The ferrule is inserted in the headstockor in a. box member secured to the longitudinale or headstock or to both longitudinals and headstock, the intermediate. member being so formed that relative rotation between the coupler head and drawbar is prevented.. The intermediate member may consist of a block with two pins at right angles toV each other, one

ot which engages in a bearing in the coupler head and the other in a bearing in the drawbar, or conversely the pins may be secured lrespectively to the coupler head and drawbar and the bearings provided in, the block. Either ofthe pins may be replaced by a pair of pins placed on either side of the longitudinal axis. Y Thehead is centralized in the known man ner by one or `more bearing surfaces -provided at the rear of the couplerhead and pressed by a main or main and subsidiary spring against aferrule which is guided in the headstockand serves as a guide for the drawbar.

A single fspring maybe employed `to centralize the coupler head and also to: transmit the buiiingJ anddrawing stresses, the forward end of the `spring abutting against the rearot theiferruleald theA rearward` end against a guided abutment. capable of forward movement; s e t This Vspring y ay be replacedby a main land subsidiary spring, the latterfhaving a limited range andserving to assist `to centralize the coupler head, to absorb light draft stressesand to takeup the wear on all; working parts between the coupler headand the drawbar. j y.

The subsidiary spring, which may be placed in tandem or concentric with the main spring, is connected` with the latter through. a errule so'arranged that, while draft stresses are initially taken up by the two springs in ,series the buiiing stresses are ta ren only by the main spring.f y i e Inthe accompanying drawings which illustrate examples of `constructions`aecording to theinvention,

Figure l is a, longitudinal vertical section taken through a coupling constructed according to the present invention,

Figure lt is a plan view of the interme- 1' diate member ot the coupling. 'Y i Figure .1]B is asection takenl through the same substantially on the line 113,-1B of F ig, use l. v l Figure l? is a side elevation of a slightly modified lform of box and support ofthe coupling, showing the support external to the box.V s

AFigure 2 is a sec/tional .plan view of a portion of the coupling, showing a moditication of the universal joint member.`

Figure 3V is a fragmentary'sectionalelevation showing another modification ot the intermediate member,

F igure i shows a vertical section taken lengthwise through theV intermediate portion of thel coupling showing a `further modification. Figure 4A is a horizontal section taken through the same. n y K i Figure 5 is `a horizontal: section taken through a still further modified form of the coupling.` y AFigure 6 is a similary section Vtaken at substantially right angles to `Figure 5 and showing a further slightly modified form of the invention. e

Figure 16A, is a detailed plan` View of the 100 `intermediate member ot Figures 5 and 6. A

Similar parts are denoted by the same reference lettersfin all the figures. Y

Referring to Fig. 1, A is a buffer or coupler head, `B-v the headstock, G the drawbar; Y Y

view of this member. A relatively light spring Gr abuts against a' :terrule H which surrounds the reduced end 0 of the draw'- bar, the flange h of the ferrnle forming an abutment for one end of the buffing spring D. The ferrule H slides in a split bush K inserted in the plate E. The two halves of the bush K are held together byV bolts and nuts 7c and the bush is secured to the plate E by bolts 702 as shown in Fig. 1*. The reduced end of the drawbar is screw-threaded, a errule I on the bar 'forming an abutment for the other end of the spring G and being secured in position by a nut J.

Y The buffer head A is recessed at ca to conform to the circular section of the end of the member F. L is ak horizontal pin secured to the bufferh'eadand about which the intermediate member F and the 'butler head A can move in a vertical plane.' It a greater' centralizing effect is required in one direction, for example to support the weight of the buffer head, the pin L may be displaced from the central axis.A M is a vertical pin secured to the intermediate member F and passing through a. holein'tlie end c of the drawbar; this kpin allows or' suitable relative movement in al horizontal plane between the drawbar C andthe butler head A.

The portion c2 ot the drawbar 'forms an enlarged head'adapted to slide in a. sleeve or errule N; the sleeve N is adapted tol slide in a rectangular portion of the casing. By this construction the end of the drawbar is directly supported in the vertical and horizontal planes by the sleeve N which is itself supported in the iixedcasing O, so that the drawbar is ventirelyV freed from bending stresses. Theinain spring D and the subsidiary spring G support the coupler head A and take'up the initial draft stress on the head; further draft and all buiiing stresses are taken up by the spring D. `f

Rotation of the head is prevented by the rectangular section oi' the 'intermediate member Fand the rectangular section ot the drawbar G.

In the construction shown in Fig. l, the support O in which the sleeve N'slides is integral with the end Z9 of the box and within the latter. r[his box can be easily inserted into existing vehiclesat small cost and khelps the under frame to resist the heavy buiiing and drawing stresses due to the great weight and lengthv of modern trains. A f 'y b In Fig. 1c the support O is external tothe In the usual known method zin which a detachable plate is secured to the longitudinals'or headstock by nuts and bolts, there is considerable danger of the bolts becoming loose under these severe stresses. l In the arrangement shown the spring D is inserted with the ferrule H without initial compression and the split bush K is inSt/lffd:

from underneath the vehicle betwen the knee E and the flange h, when the spring D has been compressed by screwing up the nut J.

In the example shown Fig. 2, the intermediate member F is somewhat difterently constructed and` the head 02 of the drawbar is modiiied correspondingly, also the pin L in the head A and the pin M in the drawbar C are at right angles to the similar pins shown in Fig. I. y

In the example shown in FigB, rotation in the vertical plane of ythe member F2 is effected about two horizontal pins L', L2 secured to the buffer head A2, the member F2 connecting the head and the drawbarl C be ing provided with elongated holes engaging with and accommodating the pins L -and L2. The vertical rpin M in the head c? of the drawbar C passes through a hole in the other extremity of the member'F2 and slides in a sleeve N otrcctangular cross section.l

' In 4this construction when. a pivoting movement occurs only one of the pair ot' parallel bearings isoperative; this arrangement increases the centralizing effect of the spring pressure. If a greater centralizing effect is required in one direction, 'tor ex'- ample to support the weight of the buffer head, one pin may be placed at a greater dis tance from the central axis.

In the example shown in Figs. l and 4 vertical pins M and M2 in the head o* oi the drawbar C? pass through j elongated holes provided in the intermediate ymember F3. In other respects the construction is similar to that shown in Fig. 3'. l

In the example shown in Fig. 5, the intermediate member F and the pins L and M are similar to that shownin Fig. vl, except lthat they are turned through yC respective-ly. In this` construction the parts'b and E are not connected by side'p-lates andthe casing v O is secured to the headstock B. I l

In the example shown in Fig. 6 the intermediate memberF is arranged as in Fig. 1, but the pins L and M. are interchangeable and corresponding slight Yalterations are made in the form of the intermediate niember F. i

Having thus described the nature of the said invention and the best means we know Vof carrying'the same into practical effect, we claim i v y 1. In a central coupling for railway and like vehicles,` a coupler head, a draw bar, an interniediatemember interposed between said .coupler head and said draw bar, vand means provided in said member to allow rules adapted to slide in member at right angles ing a guide for said draw bar and abutting against said coupler head said rear ferrule forming a guide for said draw bar and an abutment for said spring.

2. In a central coupling for railway and like Vehicles, a coupler head, a draw bar, an intermediate member interposed between said'eoupler head and said draw bar, a pin at the rear end of said member pivotally connected with the front end of the draw bar, a pin at the front end of said member at right angles to said first mentioned pin and p-ivotally connected with said coupler head, a casing, front andrea-r fersaid casing, a draft and bufiing spring inserted between said ferrules, said front ferrule surrounding one end of said intermediate member and forming a guide for said drawbar and abutting against said coupler head said rear ferrule forming a guide for said draw bar and an abutment for said spring.

3. In a central coupling for railway and like vehicles, a coup-ler head', Ia draw bar,

an intermediate member interposed between said coupler headv and said draw bar, a pin at the rear end of said member pivotally connected with the front end of the draw bar, a p-in at the front end of said to said first mentioned p-in and pivotally connected with said coup-ler head, a casing, front and rear ferrules adapted to slide in said casing, a draft and buBng spring inserted between said ferrules, said front ferrule surrounding one end of said intermediate member and abutting against said coupler head, the enlarged front end of said draw bar of rectangular cross section being guided in said front ferrule said rear ferrule forming a. guide for said draw bar and an abutment for said spring.

4. In a `central coupling for railway andl like vehicles, a coupler head, draw bar, an intermedlate member interposed between said coup-ler head and said draw bar and means provided in said member to allow relative deection in two planes mutually at right angles between the coupler head*` and the draw bar, a casing, front and rear ferrules adapted to slide in said casing,

a draft and bufiing spring inserted between saidv ferrules, said front ferrule surround-V ing one end of said intermediate member and forming a guide for said draw bar and abutting against said coupler head which is recessed to enclose the front end of said intermediate member said rear ferrule forming al guide for said draw bar and an abutment for said spring. d

5. In a central coupling for railway and like vehicles, a coupler head, a draw bar, an intermediate member interposed between said coupler head and said draw bar, a p-in at the rear end of said member pivotall,v connected with the front end of the draw bar, a pin at the front end of said member at right angles to said first mentioned pin and pivotally connectedwith saidcoupler head, a casing, front .and rear ferrules adapted to slide in said. casing, a draft and buiing spring surrounding one end of said intermediate member and forming a guide for said draw bar and abutting against said coupler head which is recessed to enclose the front end of said intermediate member said rear ferrule forming a guide for said draw bar and an abutment for said spring.

6, In a central coupling for railway and like vehicles, a coupler head, a draw bar, a member interposed between said coupler head and said draw bar, a pin at the rear end of said member pivotally connected with the front end of the draw bar, apin at the front end o-f said member at right angles to said first mentioned pin pivotally connected with said coupler head, plates secured to said vehicles, supports secured to said plates, ferrules sliding in said supports and forming guides for said draw bar, va draft and buing spring abutting against the inner ends of said ferrules, and an auxiliary spring surrounding the rear end of the draw bar and abutting against the rear end of the rear ferrule and an abutment on the rear end of the draw-bar engaging the auxiliary spring.

In testimony whereof we have signed our names to this speciiication.

JOHN MiroiiELL. JOHN oEcIL GEORGE cossEY. y 

